CVE-2012-1246 in WEB MART
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in KENT-WEB WEB MART 1.7 and earlier might allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1246 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within KENT-WEB WEB MART version 1.7 and earlier systems. This vulnerability resides in the web application's handling of user-supplied data through cookie parameters, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate cookie values before processing them in web responses, allowing attackers to craft malicious cookie payloads that persist and execute within user browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application framework. When KENT-WEB WEB MART processes cookies containing unescaped or improperly sanitized characters, the application directly incorporates these values into web page responses without sufficient sanitization. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled data can be interpreted as executable code rather than mere data, enabling the execution of malicious scripts within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS attack vector since the malicious payload is delivered through cookie parameters rather than traditional form submissions or URL parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, modify web page content, or redirect users to malicious sites. An attacker could craft a malicious cookie that, when processed by a victim's browser, would execute scripts to steal session cookies, modify user interface elements, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. This represents a significant threat to user privacy and application integrity, potentially enabling full account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data within the web application environment. The vulnerability affects all users of affected versions regardless of their authentication status, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1246 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the web application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to KENT-WEB WEB MART version 1.8 or later, which contains patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper cookie sanitization techniques, including the use of secure flag settings, HttpOnly attributes, and input validation routines that strip or encode potentially dangerous characters, will prevent the exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. Security measures should also include regular vulnerability assessments, web application firewalls, and comprehensive security testing to identify and remediate similar XSS vulnerabilities in the application codebase. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution through web applications, emphasizing the need for robust application-level defenses against malicious code injection.